The New England Patriots are reportedly not pursuing a trade for wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins after much speculation.
Jeff Howe of The Athletic published a column Friday morning, which essentially stated that Arizona would want too much in return for the wide receiver.
Hopkins’ production is undeniable. He caught 64 catches for 717 yards and three touchdowns in nine games last season. He had to miss several games following a PED suspension. At 30 years of age, he is still very much a threat at the wide receiver position.
The Patriots upgraded at wide receiver a bit this off-season, signing JuJu Smith-Schuster to a three-year deal. Nevertheless, the organization could still use a big-play threat. How much a big-play threat would cost remains the biggest question. Howe views Hopkins to the Patriots as unlikely.
He wrote:
With a new Cardinals regime, headed by GM Monti Ossenfort and coach Jonathan Gannon, rival teams know Hopkins would be a salary dump, which significantly reduces his trade value. That’s why teams like the Patriots, who had an early conversation with the Cardinals, don’t plan to pursue him unless there’s a substantial change in philosophy, according to a league source.
Hopkins would be a fit for New England, as the team is still looking for a top wide receiver. For now, however, it appears the star receiver is out of the Patriots’ price range.
